Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Raul Julia was discovered while performing in a nightclub in San Juan by actor Orson Bean who inspired him to move to the mainland to pursue other projects. Julia moved to Manhattan, New York City in 1964 and quickly found work by acting in small and supporting roles in off-Broadway shows. In 1966, he began appearing in Shakespearean roles, creating a deliciously conniving Edmund in King Lear in 1973 and a smoldering Othello in 1979. Julia also made his mark on the musical stage playing one of the Two Gentlemen of Verona during its run in 1971, and a chilling role of Mack the Knife in The Threepenny Opera in 1976 and as a Fellini-esque film director in Nine (1982). The stage successes led to his movie works where he is better known. One of his best movie roles is a passionate political prisoner in Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985). Julia also appeared as dramatic heroes and memorable villains in a number of films and made-for-TV-movies. His later roles included the loopily macabre Gomez Addams in two Addams Family movies. With his health declining from 1993 onward after being diagnosed with cancer, Julia kept on acting, playing Brazilian rainforest activist Chico Mendez in The Burning Season (1994), for which he posthumously won a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award. On October 16, 1994, the weakened and gaunt Raul Julia suffered a stroke in his New York City apartment where he fell into a coma and was put on life support. He was transferred to a hospital in nearby Manhasset where his weakened body finally gave up the struggle on October 24, 1994 at age 54. His body was flown back to Puerto Rico for burial where thousands turned out for his state funeral to remember him.
Was nominated for four Best Actor (Musical) Tony Awards: in 1972, for playing Valentine in "Two Gentlemen of Verona," in 1975 for a revival of "Where's Charley?," in 1977, for playing Macheath in a revival of "The Threepenny Opera," and in 1982 for "Nine." He never won. Died while in a coma just days before his last theatrical movie, Street Fighter, was finished. That film is dedicated to his memory. Buried at Buxeda Cemetary (Cemetario Buxeda) in Cupey, Puerto Rico. Earned a B.A. in drama from University of Puerto Rico. Nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway Musical, NINE. Godfather of writer Mylo Carbia. He was a passionate supporter of The Hunger Project, a foundation devoted to the elimination of world hunger. For 17 years, he served as the Project's spokesperson. His father was the pioneer to bring pizza to Puerto Rico when he added it to the menu of his already popular fried chicken r Member of the Phi Sigma Alpha fraternity in Puerto Rico He is one of a few artists to be given a state funeral in his native Puerto Rico.